GIRL CHILD DAY

New Delhi| Indian women who showed remarkable performances in their respective fields were applauded by the government on the celebration of National Girl Child Day, themed on the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme (BBBP).

First woman amputee to climb Mount Everest Arunima Sinha and Shanno -- main advisor of Balaknama newspaper, which is run completely by street children -- were also applauded at the event here.

"The BBBP program has done very well across the country especially in Haryana. Parents have to ensure health, education and success of their daughters as well as contribute to the development of their talents," Gandhi was quoted as saying.

Narrating her experience and said: "It is the parents, especially the mother, who can help girls become arrows into the future."

Leena Nair, Secretary to the WCD, said that the government has launched the flagship program BBBP to check the adverse sex ratio by changing the mind-set of the people.

"Not only this, the WCD Ministry is putting in all efforts to address the issues related to nutrition of girls and violence against girls or women," she added.

The winners of quiz competitions organised across various Kendriya Vidyalaya schools in Delhi on the theme of "Empowerment of Girl Child" were also rewarded.

The occasion was also marked by felicitation of the districts under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme for their exemplary performance.

The government felicitated at least 10 districts across various states of Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Chatthisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana for their "exemplary performances" and "effective community engagements".